


Nwalin Birthday Fics

by Thorinsmut



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Multi, One-Shots, birthday fics, imported as tumblr takes a swan dive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-09-06 10:52:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 5,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16831198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thorinsmut/pseuds/Thorinsmut
Summary: Every year, I celebrated my birthday in the hobbitish way by giving little gifts away on my tumblr blog. Many of the prompts were nwalin-themed.Now you may read them all in one convenient place!





	1. baby chickens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As evening settles in, I bring you yet another birthday fic! This one is for @asparklethatisblue who asked for Nwalin with tiny baby chickens.
> 
> This one’s Modern AU – I hope you enjoy!

.

In the spring, Chicken went broody.

Her chosen nest was a fedora in the back of the closet from a phase Nori had left far behind. He didn’t mind the loss of the hat, it was fine. But what they didn’t need was an angry chicken going ‘braaaaAAAAAAAAAA“ and pecking at them in warning every time they opened the closet. There was no rooster, so Chicken’s eggs were infertile. It wasn’t like she could hatch them, but nobody had told her that.

Online wisdom encouraged them to keep her from her nest for a few days, until she was over it. Dwalin did the honors, since Nori certainly wasn’t going to be the one getting his hands pecked.

"I’m sorry baby girl, I’m sorry,” Dwalin crooned as he pulled his fluffed-up hen out of the closet and Nori firmly closed the closet door to keep her from going back in.

Removing her nest didn’t help. Banties had a notoriously strong brooding instinct, Nori was discovering. Anything approximately round in the house became her new eggs. A pingpong ball, one of Ori’s erasers when he was visiting, even a tennis ball she found in the back yard and she could hardly cover. She sat herself firmly down on each one and Dwalin had to pick her up to retrieve them, which threw her out of sorts and made her peevish. Chicken wasn’t even laying eggs anymore, for their trouble.

Since taking her 'eggs’ and nest away wasn’t working, the next thing to try was to give Chicken dummy eggs and a nest and let her sit on them until she got bored of it. Twenty one days was the typical time frame for a chicken egg to hatch, so most hens would give up on their nest a little after three weeks. Nori got a couple wooden eggs from the craft store, surrendered the squashed fedora, and let her set up her nest in her night pen.

Three weeks came and went, with Chicken faithfully incubating her wooden eggs. Four. Five.

On week six, Nori broke down in the face of Dwalin’s begging blue eyes and went to the local feed store. It was spring. Of course they had chicks.

He came home with a peeping shoebox, and Dwalin’s smile could have outmatched the sun. Nori opened the box to show Dwalin a pair of tiny black chicks, just a day old.

“Silkies,” he said. “They look like mops, but they’re supposed to be make good pets?”

“Oh, babies,” Dwalin crooned, reaching into the box to gently touch them. “Will she accept them?”

Nori shrugged. Everything he’d read suggested she would, but there was no way to know until they tried. “Apparently you just put them under her, and she’ll think she hatched them? You’re doing the honors. I’m not getting pecked.”

Chicken fluffed up and did her warning sound as soon as Dwalin reached his hand into the pen. He clucked soothing sounds at her, carefully holding the chicks in his hand and slipping it underneath her. Chicken pecked him as a parting gift—not hard enough to even leave a mark—and then puffed up even bigger and more protective than ever. She was making different little clucks than Nori had ever heard her make in response to the chicks. Chicken couldn’t have said 'mama’s here’ more clearly if she could speak English.

One of the chicks peeked out through Chicken’s breast feathers, and Dwalin made a squeeing sound a teenage girl would have been proud of.

Nori sighed and leaned against him. “You’re the one cleaning up after them,” he commented, and laughed when Dwalin swept him up into his arms for a hug.

.


	2. friend of magpies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My birthday party continues! Next up, a gift for @asparklethatisblue, who requested Nori making friends with crows or magpies.

.

They said the line of Durin could speak to Ravens. They also said the line of Ri weren’t of the line of Durin. Not really.

Except they could talk to the Ravens too. And not just the Ravens. Ravens, in Nori’s experience, were a snobbish bunch – at least the few who had followed the royal family to Ered Luin. They turned their beaks up at a scruffy red-haired thiefling, told him to go away when he snuck into their eyrie. Much better were the crows, and the magpies. They were clever too, if maybe not as smart as Ravens. They knew their friends, though, and they had no compunctions about stealing.

They were the perfect allies. For the entrails of a rabbit or a fish, or for some bright but worthless bit of shiny, they’d spy out someone’s valuables or serve as a lookout. Nori had a few special friends among them who’d even steal things and bring them to him to exchange. They couldn’t carry things as large as a Raven might be able to, but Nori liked them better.

Nori was never without a friend or two, no matter how far he wandered from the mountains and other Dwarves. There was always a crow to circle above him, or a magpie to perch on his shoulder and tell him about the lay of the land.

He was never caught unawares by Dwarf guards hunting the wilds for a thief, or by patrols of Men laying in wait for poachers.

They said only the line of Durin could speak to the birds, and they said the line of Ri weren’t a part of it. Not really. Who would suspect that Nori could? Who would think anything of a magpie circling overhead and then winging away.

“You’re being tracked,” the magpie croaked, landing on Nori’s shoulder. “Dwarves. Led by the big one with the shiny top and the axes.”

“Thank you,” Nori murmured back. He gave her an affectionate scratch to the back of the head, preening under her feathers, then rolled over a rock to let her feast on the bugs hiding beneath. He needed to bring his best game to evade Dwalin, and the magpie would need her strength for all the flying to keep an eye on the pursuing Dwarves until he shook them.

“Ready, beautiful?” Nori asked, and the magpie took to the air in answer. Nori hoisted his pack of stolen goods over his shoulder and took off into the wilds. A Dwarf alone – but never _truly_ alone.

.


	3. in the rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes! The first party fic is for my dear @werpiper, who requested femslash nwalin in the rain.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

.

The picnic was nearly over – all that was left was to cuddle on the blanket and sip sangria. It was a simple date, but a good one. The weather was perfect, warm and bright with just a hint of breeze. Dwalin savored her glass of sangria slowly, smiling over at Nori whose foot was insinuating itself between Dwalin’s calves. If things proceeded as usual, soon Nori’s entire leg would be between Dwalin’s, and then everything would be kissing and touching and holding each other close.

A faint rumble of thunder on the horizon was the only warning they had before the cloudburst struck.

Nori screamed a laugh. They were both of them soaked through in an instant. Dwalin cursed and tossed the last of her cup away to cram it and the blanket back into the basket – heading for the protection of the car.

It took Dwalin a moment to realize that Nori wasn’t following. Nori had her arms spread, face turned up to the rain as she spun around and around. The sun was still shining down despite the rain, gleaming off the raindrops and Nori’s bedraggled self. Even with her hair ruined, gone stringy in the rain, Nori was so beautiful Dwalin’s breath caught in her throat.

When Dwalin kissed her, Nori’s laughing mouth tasted like sweet wine and summer rain.

.


	4. haircut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hattedhedgehog prompted: Nwalin! FemDwalin and femNori, Dwalin’s hair is growing and she asks Nori to help her shave the sides and patterns. It turns out Nori is meticulous and skilled though she’s really nervous

.

Nori held her sharpest knife in her hand as Dwalin sat in front of her. She hadn’t really expected things to go like this. Dwalin had been complaining about how shaggy she’d gotten in the Elf King’s dungeons, and that she didn’t have her grooming kit with her razor to clean it up. Nori had offered one of her knives – she kept them sharp enough. And then Dwalin had complained of not having a suitable mirror and that it was the wrong size and shape to do it herself. And Nori was known for her steady hands, wasn’t she?

Nori took a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly, calming herself as though this were just a tricky lock to pick. It wasn’t as though she hadn’t long memorized the shapes of Dwalin’s patterns. And if she did mess it up, it was just hair. It would grow back out. Dwalin might never forgive her or trust her with something like this again, but…

Nori pushed that thought away. She wasn’t going to mess it up, and that was that. She opened her eyes, and brought the blade to the side of Dwalin’s soap-lathered head.

.

Dwalin hummed, turning her head back and forth as she inspected Nori’s handiwork in the mirror. It was good, wasn’t it? Nori thought it had turned out good. It seemed to be all the right shapes. The angles had turned out nice and sharp.

“You have clever hands, thief,” Dwalin said, gruff face softening in a slight smile.

“In more ways than one,” Nori couldn’t help teasing in her relief. For that Dwalin laughed, grabbing a handful of Nori’s shirt to drag her in for a kiss. Nori kissed back enthusiastically, arms winding around Dwalin’s neck, fingers tracing the shapes, _her shapes_ , on the sides of Dwalin’s head.

“I haven’t forgotten,” Dwalin breathed in the space between kisses, and Nori’s gut tightened with the reminder of their latest coupling.

“Are you sure? You couldn’t use a refresher?” Nori whispered back, quirking an eyebrow.

Dwalin laughed again, gently knocking foreheads with Nori. “Aye, soon enough.” she promised.

.


	5. dancing

.

“Of course I can dance,” Nori snorted, locking his boot more firmly around his chair leg just in case someone tried to make him leave it.

“So why won’t you?” Dwalin begged. “If I have to take another turn with Lord Dolgr’s dead fish of sons I’ll tear my own beard out. Just one dance, Nori.” There were already whispers. Dwalin did his best not to listen to them, and he knew if he were hearing them Nori would know a thousand more – that Nori and Dwalin’s union wasn’t a true one. That Dwalin was just using Nori, or conversely that Nori had just married him for his title and to get a ‘respectable’ name. Just one dance wouldn’t do much against the whispers, really, but it _was_ true that they did not interact much in the noble circles. Out among common Dwarves, Nori was much more comfortable. Once they were in hightown, though, Nori would park himself in a chair and leave Dwalin to fend for himself.

Dwalin hated gossip, but he had to admit if he’d seen another couple behaving like this, he’d have worried for their love.

…and here came Lord Dolgr with not a reluctant son trailing behind him, but a _daughter_ who seemed anything but. It was too much, if the likes of Lord Dolgr thought they could try to tempt Dwalin away from Nori with their progeny. They couldn’t in a thousand years, but with Nori abandoning him there was nothing to stop them from trying their chances in those occasions when Dwalin was forced to formal functions.

“ _Please_ ,” Dwalin begged. Maybe his desperation finally showed, because Nori unhooked his boot from around his chair. Taking this for agreement, Dwalin grabbed him and pulled him toward the dance floor.

“I _can_ dance, but not these dances.” Nori hissed, tensing all over. “Why would you think I know these stuffy formal things? I don’t know any of the steps, I can’t…”

“Oh, is that the only problem?” Dwalin could almost laugh for relief. “Hey!” he called over to the musicians. “Play something a _real_ Dwarf can dance to, would you?”

They stopped playing in surprise. Dwalin stomped his boot to demonstrate a rhythm, and one of the younger ones broke into a grin. He switched to a fiddle grip on his viol and started a good old classic. The rest of the musicians fell into line.

Nori laughed in disbelief as Dwalin began swinging him around in a rigorous dance that didn’t bear even a passing resemblance to the tame things nobles usually played at these events. Nori kept up with him step for step, every bit as light on his feet in a dance as he was in a fight.

“I can’t believe that worked,” he grinned.

“What are they going to do, say 'no’ to the heroes of Erebor?” Dwalin snorted. “Not likely.”

“We’re the only ones dancing now,” Nori observed.

Dwalin had noticed that too, as well as Balin shaking his head and chuckling at him from across the room. “Nope – here come Fili and Kili, good lads.”

The princes took to the floor like they were born to it – which they were. There hadn’t been much difference between common and noble in the poverty of Ered Luin, they’d danced in the same pubs as everyone else.

“Thank you, I thought I was going to _die_ of boredom,” Kili whispered when he was close enough briefly, and Dwalin laughed. It likely would have been enough just Dwalin and Nori dancing, but with the princes joining in there was no chance it wouldn’t catch on. He’d be surprised if people hadn’t studied up on common dances by the next time he couldn’t avoid one of these functions.

Dwalin hooked his arm around Nori’s waist, spinning them both around as he smiled into his husband’s eyes. They’d be trendsetters for certain, and for once he could only think it was a good thing.

.


	6. bad idea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first Summer Bash drabble is for mariejacquelyn, who requested Nwalin and the song Style by Taylor Swift.

.

“You’re a bad idea.” Dwalin shoved his hands deeper in his jacket pockets, rounding his shoulders against what he wanted to do.

Nori took a drag of his cigarette and blew a long column of smoke up toward the street lamp that lit him, head tipped back to bare his slender throat. He lounged on the hood of the latest muscle car he’d finished restoring, all long limbs and tight jeans. He was unfairly beautiful and he knew it, but he was a bad idea. How many months had it been since Dwalin even heard from Nori, and here he was waiting for Dwalin. There was a slight smile on Nori’s lips as he flicked his cigarette butt away – cherry-red ember arcing away to litter the dark street.

“I’m bad, but I’m so good at it,” Nori purred. “Come for a ride with me?”

Dwalin shook his head, but he was already headed around the front of the car toward the passenger door. Nori stood when Dwalin was at his closest. A brush of Nori’s fingers across Dwalin’s arm, and Dwalin was instinctively turning toward him. Dwalin couldn’t help his soft moan when Nori’s mouth met his in a kiss.

Nori’s skin was cold under Dwalin’s hands, how long had he been waiting? The summer night wasn’t so cold, but Nori was small with no insulation to keep him warm. Dwalin pulled Nori’s body closer, wrapping his leather jacket around Nori to warm him, and Nori shuddered in his arms.

It had been too long since they did this, and not nearly long enough. Dwalin knew Nori’d been out with other people, men and women both. Dwalin had been out with a few other guys as well. He and Nori weren’t anything, really, but they were this. This heat, this want. Dwalin already knew how it was going to end when Nori came to take him for a ride. They always ended up either in bed, or the back seat of whatever car Nori’d restored now.

Dwalin knew that carrying on with Nori was a bad idea, but he never could learn better.  
.


	7. sea and sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: I would love any drabble set in the "smell the sea and feel the sky" universe, because honestly, that story was what I always wanted in romance novels I use to buy, but could never find.

.

Dwalin froze the moment he entered Vulpes’ cabin. The voyage was long around the world, perilous, and terribly tedious at times. It helped to have another ship in convoy, more people to talk to when their own ship had grown too familiar. More than once Dwalin had hosted Nori in his cabin, or he in Nori’s, for pleasure and talk while their crews celebrated together. That’s what he had expected when he was invited in to the Bloody Gannet.

“My lady,” Dwalin breathed, taking Lady Norine in. She was wearing only the simplest dress, with his engagement pendant nestled between her breasts – her hair done up simply, her freckled face unpowdered. but she was his Lady and she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Dwalin took both her work-roughened hands in his, reverently kissing her scarred knuckles.

“My wolfhound,” Lady Norine greeted him, and her mellow voice was the sweetest thing he’d heard in months. She smiled, reaching up to smooth down some of his escaping hairs and cup his cheek. “Would you sit by my side as I read to you? I’ve missed it.”

“Until the stars cease their orbits. I am yours,” Dwalin answered. He’d missed her too, so much he thought his heart might break of it even though he still had Vulpes and they were one and the same.

Dwalin settled on a cushion Lady Norine had provided for him beside her chair, leaning his cheek against her thigh. Her fingers stroked through his hair as she began to read to him.

.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jmiracles prompted: OK I hope I'm doing this right: Dwalin/Nori Hogwarts au where Dwalin is a Hufflepuff and Nori is a Slytherin.

.

Nori watched the thin clouds skuttle across the bright blue sky. The sun was hot, and he’d probably burn if he didn’t cast a charm for that soon, but he couldn’t be bothered to move to get his wand. His head was pillowed on Dwalin’s stomach, moving with each of his slow breaths. Dwalin’s fingers were in his hair, gently playing and tugging on it, and Nori felt like someone might have cast an _Ossio Dispersimus_ spell on his entire body and left him limp and boneless.

“Balin’s taking me to Diagon Alley tomorrow – then we’ll be back at school.” Dwalin commented. Nori could feel the vibration of his voice rumbling through his belly. Puberty had been kind to Dwalin, leaving him big and broad-shouldered and deep voiced. Nori’s was not so much late as nonexistent, despite all he’d hoped. He was going to be slender and scrawny all his days, even if he could at least grow some beard now.

“I don’t need much of that,” Nori shrugged. “I’ve got most of Dori’s old stuff.” Not that any of it was going to fit right, not until Nori’d gone over it with his best charms until it was as good as the best money could buy. He wouldn’t be a disgrace to Slytherin. He needed to stop putting that off, but that would be admitting that summer was ending. It felt like it had hardly begun.

Nori rolled over onto his side, hiding his face against Dwalin’s belly and clinging tight to a fistful of Dwalin’s shirt at his chest. Right over his heart, like he could keep hold of it forever.

“Hey.” Dwalin’s big hand stroked down Nori’s shoulder and back, soothing and safe. “Hey, it’s going to be alright. I can let you into the Hufflepuff common room any time. Being at school isn’t going to change this.”

“Sure,” Nori whispered. It didn’t matter how many times they said it, they both knew it wasn’t true.

.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> asparklethatisblue prompted:oh, maybe Nwalin + either of them returning home after a long absence? (any verse, it's the one idea my brain can produce :'3 )

.

Nori counted the days as the summer ended and the days turned cooler, the light faded faster. Dwalin traveled in the summer, guarding caravans away from Ered Luin and back before the first snow. He always had to go, but he always came back, and Nori was waiting for him when the frost was on the air.

“Hey.” Dwalin grinned. He was obviously tired from his long trip, but he immediately put down what he’d been unpacking and opened his arms for a hug. Nori didn’t leave him waiting, and he was finally squeezed tight in Dwalin’s arms again. “So what have you been up to all these months?” Dwalin asked.

“Terrible things,” Nori told him. “Lying, stealing, housebreaking, lockpicking, disturbing the peace, disrespecting the guard…”

“Terrible Dwarf.” Dwalin brushed a light kiss to Nori’s temple, squeezing him tighter. “What am I going to do with you?”

“…love me?” It broke out of Nori’s throat, far too broken and honest after far too long apart.

“Oh, my Nori,” Dwalin breathed, holding him close, nuzzling his cold nose into Nori’s hair. “Always.”

.


	10. gratitude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ok, some of these are, admitedly, not part of my b-day celebrations, but they're still nwalin and they still need cross-posting.

.

“You didn’t have to.” Nori let go of the rough linen wrapping, leaving its contents undisturbed on the table.

A pair of bracers, and unmistakably Dwalin’s impeccable leatherwork. It was his signature-hand with the embossed patterns, the woven cuffs. Nori was well-trained to judge quality at a glance, and Dwalin might disparage his craft as utilitarian and nothing more, but his work was always exquisite and these bracers were no exception. They would be as strong and comfortable as they were beautiful.

The bracers were sized for Nori’s relatively slender hands.

Nori touched them, finally, running his fingers along the well-conditioned leather. “You didn’t have to,” he repeated.

“I know,” Dwalin agreed. The smile lines deepened around the corners of his eyes as he reached across the table to lay his warm hand on top of Nori’s. “But I had the materials, and the time.” He lifted one of the bracers, and Nori allowed him to put it on his hand. It fit perfectly, of course. Dwalin knew Nori’s hands almost as well as his own.

“There,” Dwalin said, inspecting it proudly. He lifted Nori’s hand to kiss his fingers. “I’ve got to protect these hands, don’t I? Who knows what we’ll be facing on the way to Erebor.”

Nori laughed and rolled his eyes to keep them free of tears. “You’re a fool,” he said. Dwalin should have spent his time training the young princes, or making equipment for his kin, not on Nori. Nori could have made do with what he had. It’s what he’d always done—stolen and made do with whatever he could get. Custom bracers weren’t for the likes of him.

“That makes a pair of us,” Dwalin said, and laughed when Nori kicked him lightly under the table.

“I would never have signed on to the quest if it wasn’t for you,” Nori accused.

Dwalin’s expression faltered, those tiny expressions that Nori had learned to read as clear as day and so few saw beyond the practiced glower. “Let’s just enjoy tonight?” he asked.

There was still so much that had to be done. Dwalin had preparations to make, and Nori had his own. They had so little time for themselves and each other as the date of their departure neared. This night, in their own modest apartments, was a welcome respite. It wouldn’t do to spoil it with worries.

Nori stood and rounded the end of the table to sit in Dwalin’s lap instead. Dwalin’s arms closed around him, holding him secure, and Nori relaxed against him as he put the second beautiful bracer on. They really were perfect, so much better than the old ones he’d cut down to his size, but never would fit right. The leather never forgot its first owner.

These would keep his hands—his _life—_ safe. And Dwalin had given them to him. His love knew him so well.

“Thank you,” Nori whispered.

Dwalin pressed his face against the nape of Nori’s neck, rubbing his cheek against Nori’s fluffy hair. “Anything, for you,” he answered.

.


	11. smoke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nwalin week day 1

The pipeweed in Erebor, before it fell, was robust stuff. It burned slowly, with a thick smoke that filled the lungs with a pleasant weight. Men who tried it would cough and wheeze and claim they could not breathe–but to the Dwarves it was a familiar comfort. They were built of sturdier stuff. If the heat and fumes of their forges could not harm them, how could a few burning herbs?

They were gone, after the dragon. They could not get ahold of ‘Mine Black’ or ‘Forged Gold’ or any of the other beloved strains of Dwarven pipeweed, once Erebor fell.

Many in Dwalin’s generation and older bemoaned the lack of proper pipeweed, and complained endlessly about the weaker stuff that Men and Hobbits grew, but Dwalin found he had a taste for it. It was sweeter on the tongue, and lighter in the lungs, but the Hobbitish pipeweed in particular was still quite strong for all that–and Dwalin had always had a bit of a sweet tooth.

Nori had never known the traditional Dwarvish pipeweeds. Even after Erebor was restored, after undamaged seedstocks were found and their old strains could be grown again, he didn’t take to it. Together, with the wealth of Erebor in their purses, Nori and Dwalin could afford to seek out the rarest pipeweeds from out in the world to sample like connoisseurs. They found the richest, the mellowest, or Dwalin’s favorite–the sweetest.

Sweetest of all was to sit on a balcony overlooking Erebor Reborn, with Nori straddling Dwalin’s lap; to breathe in Nori’s exhale and take the smoke directly from his lips.

Not quite a kiss, but something far more intimate.


	12. sour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nwalin Week day 4: (nsfw modern au femslash)

Dwalin didn’t really know what to expect until she actually had her head between another woman’s legs.

Sure there was sapphic literature, surreptitiously read, but while the _emotional_ descriptions were good and made Dwalin’s heart ache for a girlfriend of her own, the sex was all allusions to sweetness and bursting fruit and not actually _helpful_.

Dwalin had tasted her own, of course–licked her fingers during or after a good wank session to learn what her sex tasted like and imagine someone else. It didn’t smell or taste anything like sweet fruit, that was certain. It was just kind of funky and musky, sometimes a little metallic. She figured that’s what it would be like, going down. Slippery and musky.

Sometimes, she despaired of ever finding someone who wanted her to.

Then, a sudden whirlwind of bright red hair and creamy freckled skin upended her life, and Dwalin fell into bed and between Nori’s legs and it wasn’t really like she’d imagined at all. The scent of Nori’s musk was stronger than she’d imagined, with her nose pressed into those light red curls. It was wetter and messier than she’d imagined, too, but that was probably a good sign? And Nori was _sour_ , tart like lemon on her tongue when Dwalin cautiously licked into her.

Dwalin licked up and down, back and forth, and then leaned back to wipe the slick from her face. “Tell me what to do?” she begged. “I’ve never really… um…”

Nori grinned and grabbed Dwalin by a gentle handful of her wiry brown hair to guide her down. “Get back in there,” Nori encouraged. “You were doing good. My clit’s a little higher… there! There, oh yeah! Oh _Dwalin_.”

Dwalin hadn’t really known what to expect until she had her head between Nori’s legs. Going down wasn’t really how she’d imagined it. It was _better_.


	13. metal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nwalin week day 5

People compared their loves to gems, all glitter and shine. Nori had tried that kind of love, and it could be bright and intense and beautiful; but like a gemstone cut and polished to be passed to the next owner, it did not last.

Others compared their loves to precious metals, and how was that any different? The only use of gold was trade and jewelry.

The love Nori came to depend upon was as simple and complex as steel alloy. Steel, as true as a knife blade. Steel as steady and sure as a pair of mismatched knuckledusters.


	14. miscommunication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nori/Dwalin, miscommunication, awkward conversations, UST

.

Dwalin’s jaw tightened and the leather of his knuckledusters creaked as his hands made fists—the only sign he noticed Nori had joined him. He certainly didn’t look at him, or acknowledge him in any other way, eyes fixed out into the dark of Rivendell’s night.

Well, wasn’t like Nori was all that happy about coming to talk to him, either. He steeled himself and opened his mouth to say his piece, but he’d waited too long. Dwalin’s short patience was already spent.

“Get it over with, thief,” he spat.

“I was gettin’ there,” he shot back, sharp and sarcastic on pure instinct. “You need a hand getting that twist out of your panties?”

Dwalin growled, a rough animal sound in his chest as he turned his blazing blue eyes on Nori. The little hairs prickled all the way down Nori’s back, a rush of adrenaline setting the blood pounding in his ears and a curl of arousal tightening his stones. Oh, the part of him that lived by quick feet and a sharp blade was never disappointed in the menace Dwalin exuded. But a dangerous thrill was NOT what Nori had approached Dwalin for. Not today.

“Say your piece,” Dwalin ordered, the chains of his knuckledusters clinking. “And leave me be.”

“Ooh, scary,” Nori scoffed. “But Thorin says we’re working together, so here we are. _I_ was just coming to say, I’ve seen you around Ori and—”

“And what?” Dwain growled, taking a threatening step toward Nori. “I’m protecting him, like any other member of the Company, because _that’s my job_.” He made a grab for Nori, which Nori easily dodged, but it had been a feint and Dwalin was horribly fast for all his size. He grabbed Nori with his other hand, a fistful of layers at Nori’s collar to drag him in close, other fist rising. “I don’t care how pretty your face is, if you threaten me again I’ll put my fist so deep in it you'll—”

Nori kicked Dwalin hard in the shin, snarling over Dwalin’s words. “Dense as you are beautiful, ain’t you? I was coming to _thank_ you, you ungrateful ass!”

There was a pause, then, as they each absorbed the other’s words and recalled what they had accidentally said themselves.

“You called me…” Dwalin started, and then stopped. His face went bright red and he dropped Nori. Nori had already been fully flushed from the adrenaline.

“You think I’m…” Nori started, smirking, and stopped when Dwalin’s expression turned thunderous.

They both took a moment, just breathing and looking at each other.

“We should start over,” Dwalin said. “Forget this…” he gestured vaguely, face flaming.

“Already forgotten it, if you have,” Nori said. Perfect. Yes. They could move on and pretend those embarrassing things had never been said. Dwalin was good for a thrill and maybe a fantasy for a good wank, but nothing more. Nori coughed, and nodded. “I saw you looking after Ori. In the fighting. Thanks.”

“Just doing my job,” Dwalin said gruffly, and nodded back.

Nori nodded back, and then felt a little too much like one of those toys Bifur made, with the head on a spring always bobbling back and forth. He turned on his heel and left.

Once he was out of Dwalin’s sight, though, there was a small smile on Nori’s lips. He smoothed his brow braids up, and his beard braids down—all the best to accent his _pretty face_.

Behind him Dwalin’s mouth moved silently over the syllables of ‘beautiful’, twice, before he shook it off and focused back on his watch.

.


	15. sneaky thief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, for a continuation of the Birthday Party (which I am enjoying and I hope you are also enjoying) I was asked for a little Dwalin/Nori, which I am always happy to provide.

Nori slid himself across Dwalin’s back.

Normally, Dwalin would be more than happy to have his thief’s attentions, but he was _so far_ behind in the paperwork he needed to get done.

“I’m busy…” He said, a little sadly.

“Guess what I want for my birthday.” Nori whispered, lips brushing against Dwalin’s ear, his arms reaching down Dwalin’s arms, that whole lean lovely body pressed tight to the back of his.

“It’s not your birthday.” Dwalin said… though he wasn’t really sure of that. What he did know was that Nori had already used his birthday as an excuse to distract him twice this year.

Nori laughed quietly, teeth closing around Dwalin’s earring and _not quite_ pulling. Dwalin began to lose the fight against responding to him.

“Nori…” His voice was embarrassingly close to a whine.

Suddenly Nori was gone. It took Dwalin half a beat to notice the strange coldness around his hand, glancing down to see that his knuckleduster was missing.

_How did he do that?!_

“Chase me!” Nori called from the vicinity of the window.

Dwalin leapt to his feet with a roar, knocking his chair over as he ran after his thief.

Yes, he _might_ have a lot of work to get done, but _no one_ stole his knuckledusters!


End file.
